Re: Deleted mailboxes don't free up space is edb

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If I had a user or user delete say 2 GB worth of mail, would I see that
reductuion in the EDB file? Or does it just show up as white space? So if
there is white space the mail goes there before expanding the edb file? I'm
concerned with my database maxing out.

Thanks, Jason.

"Oliver Moazzezi [MVP]" wrote:

Hi there,

It will not reduce the size of the database, but rather (once online
maintenance completes) create whitespace.

Whitespace will then be used for new objects in the database rather than
expanding the size of the database. It will use the available whitespace
within itself. Does that make sense?

Do you need to reclaim space back? First off, check for EventID 1221 in your
Application log to see how much whitespace you have available. This will
tell you how much you will reclaim by performing an offline defrag as others
have mentioned. Note: It only tells you the whitespace in the edb, not any
space that may be reclaimable in the stm file.

However an offline defrag isn't the best option, unless you have Exchange
Server 2000/2003 Standard, and you have no other Exchange Servers to move
mailboxes too.

It is far easier to move mailboxes to another Exchange Server, or another
database on the same Exchange Server, than it is to perform an offline
defrag. The reason being an offline defrag requires the store to be offline,
giving total outage to all users on it. Whilst the move mailbox process will
only move upto 4 mailboxes at a time and for only the duration of the move.

Note (you don't mention what version of Exchange you have): Exchange 2007
Standard allows upto 5 databases to be created.

Please advise what options you have available and we can recommend the best
course of action. It may very well end up having to be an offline defrag -
but this advice should not be out willy nilly give out just because it's a
solution to the problem.

Oliver



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